Canadian Wine Insider – November 2023

Twelve Important “New” Canadian Wineries 2023
By David Lawrason

It’s difficult to define “new” when it comes to wineries. When were they conceived? When were they licenced, when were they planted, or what was the first vintage? When did tasting rooms open? When did the new owners take over? So, for this exercise, I take a more personal view — and pick wineries that were new to me in 2023.

I became aware of many at the 2023 National Wine Awards of Canada in June, where I took photos of every label I hadn’t seen before. There were 27, from four provinces, signifying terrific new energy and optimism for Canadian wine. But I also became aware of others later who did not enter the NWACs, in subsequent visits in Ontario, Quebec and B.C.

I am highlighting those that are important for their quality aspiration and their expression of their sense of place, which together promote a higher goal of defining and promoting Canadian wine. I have visited all of these below this year. There may be others equally worthy that I have not yet visited but hope to do so. The field has become so big that one cannot visit all, and new wineries need to reach out. I am listening.

Here are 12 wineries — in alphabetical order — that significantly mark their territory and produce interesting and excellent wines.

Code Wines, Okanagan Falls, B.C.
With the label depicting digital DNA-ish coding, one assumes at first that this winery is more of a branding exercise. But Code is actually the surname of Shay and Harlee Code, Saskatchewan farmers who followed a wine passion to the Okanagan. In 2016 they purchased a five-acre, fairly steep west-facing slope and planted an organic vineyard that sits below an impressive heat-radiating granite cliff above the town of Okanagan Falls. Under the guidance of Penelope and Dylan Roche — of Roche Wines in Naramata — they and their children planted chardonnay, pinot noir and syrah, focusing on clonal selections. With the first vintage bottled in 2019, they have already burrowed deep and created a four-bottle set of pinot clone bottlings of Dijon 115, Dijon 777, Pommard 91 and Ancestor 01 — a fascinating tasting exercise. All the wines are pure, linear, complex and refined, and expressive of vintage. The 2021 Unoaked Chardonnay is among the most Chablis-like wines I have ever experienced in Canada. A pair of rosés, one from pinot noir the other from syrah, are very precise. But my favourite is the refined, tender yet firm, and complete 2021 Syrah from a one-acre, biodynamic block. The syrah vines suffered some winter damage this vintage, but as this site matures watch for some great wines ahead.

Website: codewines.ca

Dobbin Estate, Twenty Mile Bench, Ont.
This super-premium Niagara winery has an impressive tasting room in a tower that models its lofty aspirations. The Dobbin family purchased the unique vineyard in 2018. With south- and north-facing slopes sloping into a very large pond, the site was geologically varied enough to ping the radar of Niagara consultants Peter Gamble and Ann Sperling. They started with a replanting to Niagara’s core varieties like riesling, chardonnay, pinot noir and cabernet franc. But it is not as simple as replanting. They are deep into rootstocks, clones and other viticultural minutiae that build options that can respond to Niagara’s becoming infamous vintage variation and create complexity and texture. And likewise, that is what these wines are all about. Whether masterful riesling, luxe chardonnay, energized pinot noir or the delicious soon-to-be-replaced cabernet blend, the wines are all subtlety, depth, textural grace, richness and elegance. With my scores in the mid-90s for complexity and finesse, registering their success. Tastings in the tower tasting room — set amid classical European gardens overlooking the pond — are by appointment.

Website: dobbinestate.com

Domaine de Pontiac Village, Pontiac, Que.
I spent time in the Ottawa Valley in August re-visiting places of my youth, and some brave new wineries in Ontario and Quebec. Domaine de Pontiac Village is an intriguing family winery near the village of Quyon in the Pontiac region. From Ontario one arrives in Quyon by ferry. There are three wineries here, but I was only able to connect with Czech-born Pavel Kohl. He moved to a quiet life in Quyon from Quebec City with his partner Maude-Emmanuelle Lambert who commutes to work as a librarian with the federal government in the National Capital Region. He is also a collector of antique cars, housing them in a museum-like setting at the winery. The five-acre vineyard is 500 metres from the mighty Ottawa River, planted to ten winter hardy varieties including frontenac, st. croix, marquette, prairie star and sabrevois, the latter being a red variety I really like due to its lower acid (among other hybrids). At the moment Kohl only makes one blended red and one very exotic, tropical white from frontenac blanc and gris. The oak-aged Rouge has wild, grapy, almost Port-ish hybrid character with deft with a textural appeal that speaks of good winemaking. There are dozens of wineries in eastern Canada modeled thus, but this winery with its pioneering spirit and letting the land speak, goes right to the heart of the matter.

Website: en.domainepontiac.com

Fairview Cellars, Golden Mile Bench, B.C.
B.C. wine veterans will immediately question my inclusion of one of the founding wineries (1997) on the northern edge of Okanagan Valley’s Golden Mile Bench — the cooler, early shaded, western side of the Valley. But recently the legendary and iconoclastic Bordeaux-inspired Bill Eggert sold his vineyard and winery to Danielle and Dermott Hutton, a couple with roots in Vancouver’s restaurant scene. Danielle was Eggert’s assistant winemaker. I did a comprehensive tasting in September at the invitation of winemaking consultant Kim Kriese, then followed up with a social tasting of Fairview’s 20-year-old back vintages. They were very impressive, so the site is excellent. It’s a bit soon to pronounce on a certain future, but Danielle is intent on updating flavour profiles without sacrificing the impressive structure of the wines. I really like the Sauvignon Blanc 2022, and the merlot-based M2 Merlot 2020, Bucket of Blood 2021 cab-syrah blend. The label has already been modernized and improved, and in my view the Huttons are on the right track as the Okanagan enters an era of generational change.

Website: fairviewcellars.ca

Here’s the Thing Vineyards, Black Sage Bench, B.C.
This is an oh-so-pretty Provencal-inspired farmhouse and winery nestled at the base of the Black Sage Bench. The charm factor is at full wattage, including the fact that it is all solar-powered and off the grid. Everything here is whimsical. Even the business plan. They grow, make 3000 cases and sell everything on premise and via their wine club. No restaurant sales, no outside retail — idyllically simple. The ten-acre site (formerly owned by Road 13) was purchased in 2016 by Jamie and Leah McDowell (a former VQA wine shop owner). They contracted veteran neighbour Michael Bartier of Bartier Borthers to make the wines. Jamie dotes on the vineyards, Leah on the marketing. The labels are whimsical too with names like Living the Dream Rose and Seriously Syrah. Enterprises like this so focused on brand and image often fall short on quality but — Here’s the Thing — my ratings for all their wines, are in the 89- to 91-point realm. The wines are comfortingly priced from $25 to $33. A model other small, new Canadian wineries should emulate?

Website: heresthethingvineyards.com

High Note Estate Winery, Naramata Bench, B.C.
The High Note tasting room opened this year on Naramata Road, the most densely winery-populated wine street in Canada. Tough to stand out here, but High Note is off to a good start with an inviting, modern tasting room that will capture visitors driving and cycling by. The winery is being constructed below ground as we speak. High Note is one of three Okanagan properties owned by Vancouver-based Bert Evertt (also Uppercase and Gadzooks), who is an opera singer. So High Note strikes an Italian/Mediterranean chord in its branding/marketing. Which seems a bit forced, but there is a lively sensibility in the wines that works, and some substance in the bottle with a very good prosecco-like sparkling, a rosé made from the northern Italian teroldego grape and a “super-Tuscan” with sangiovese blended with Bordeaux varieties. My favourite however is a solid syrah called Verismo.

Website : highnoteestatewinery.com

King + Victoria, Twenty Mile Bench, Ont.
Located near the intersection of King Street and Victoria Avenue in Vineland, on a lower slope of the Twenty Mile Bench, this winery, owned by two in-law couples, opened in May this year, after more than 20 years of preparation. As Rob Harold and Joe Schenk like to say: “We are built on optimism and patience,” with Covid testing that resolve. Along with their respective partners, Liz Harold and Tracey Schenk, they own the 13-acre Hanck Vineyard, which they planted from 2004 to 2007. For years they sold their fruit and made their own wines from Hanck (pinot, riesling, sauvignon and gewurz) and from Joe’s Haynes Street Vineyard site (Creekshores), which ripens cabernet varieties. They bottled their first wines in 2018, made at neighbouring Cloudlsey Cellars. Famed Niagara terroiriste Thomas Bachelder scored Wine of the Year at the Canadian Culinary Championships with his 2020 Hanck Pinot Noir. I tasted all four vintages of King + Victoria Hanck Pinot so far and they are special. The sold-out first vintage 2018 is so very complete! Then come the current tense, age-worthy 2019, and aromatically beguiling, softer and ripe 2020. The 2021 is very appealing too but less structured. The poised, lush dry 2019 Riesling is a hit too, with competent, clean and Niagara-bright estate sauvignon blanc and chardonnay also in the mix. The tiny winery offers limited weekend tasting and sales. Their very first on-premise 2023 vintage is in process right now.

Website: kingandvictoria.com

Kirby Estate, Niagara Lakeshore, Ont.
Scott and Maria Kirby purchased an intriguing vineyard in the Niagara Lakeshore sub-appellation in 2017. A classic Niagara-on-the-Lake homestead centres the 10-acre site, with a fruit processing barn/shed now morphing into a winemaking/storage facility. The gemstone is a block of 25-year-old merlot vines, a variety that hates Niagara winters but has persevered here thanks to 2-kilometre proximity to the moderating influence of Lake Ontario. The Kirby’s reached out for consulting assistance, with Peter Gamble and Ann Sperling recognizing the site potential and guiding them forward. They also grow chardonnay and pinot blanc (for still and sparkling), but a flat, lower frost-prone chardonnay block was wiped out in winter 2022 and has been replanted. The sloped edge includes new petit verdot vines this year — such is the faith in this site’s potential to ripen Bordeaux reds. The Kirbys are feeling their way as a commercial operation, and only open by appointment, but I very much like what I tasted among their merlots, and feel it is very important that these vines and wines be preserved as a testament to what Niagara can achieve.

Website: kirbyestate.com

Nostalgia Wines, Black Sage Bench, B.C.
When Nostalgia 2020 Syrah Reserve showed up as the only Platinum syrah at the National Wine Awards in 2023, my antennae went up. This is perhaps the most exciting category at the NWACs, so I was full of anticipation when I visited this new winery (formerly Oliver Twist) on the Black Sage Bench in September. This is syrah central for Canada – with Le Vieux Pin, Black Hills, Phantom Creek and Burrowing Owl all making very fine examples. And all suffered alarming losses in the early winter freeze out in Dec 2022 – but one hopes they will come back. I really clued into Nostalgia however when I tasted all their other wines. Owner/winemaker Gina Fernandes Harfman, who was the winemaker at Oliver Twist, heads an all-women team doing some great work beyond syrah. I loved their 2022 Viognier and 2021 Chardonnay. But the most brazen and most fun is a blend called The Girls Red, a merlot-syrah blend that is cheeky and lovely and great value.

Website: nostalgiawines.ca

Red Barn, Black Sage Bench, B.C.
This is a new “concept” winery in Mark Anthony’s B.C. Icon Wineries portfolio. The concept is actually quite daring — wines made without a stick of oak in the winery. All wines are made and aged in either stainless steel or, more likely, state-of-the-art concrete. The winery is located in the heart of the company’s Jagged Rock Vineyard on the Black Sage Bench. For its tiny footprint, the ambition and marketing are out-sized, with branding like Transfiction Rosé, Off Centre Viognier and Parts Unknown Red Blend. The wines are very well made, texturally tight and impressive and accurately on point for their varieties. But in two visits this year I came away feeling they lack some drama, especially at the $30 to $50 price points. Which made me wonder if my palate is too oak conditioned. Anyway, it is an intriguing exploration, and I applaud the vision and resources being applied. I will be staying tuned.

Website: redbarn.wine

River House, Rideau Lakes, Ont.
River House is so improbable, but I love the audacity! It opened this year on the sandy banks of the Tay River near Maberly in eastern Ontario. To zoom out, the Tay River runs through the bucolic limestone town of Perth, on its way to join the Rideau River, which finales in downtown Ottawa. I was floored by the scope of this venture. A sloped five-acre vineyard fronts a surprisingly large winery, restaurant and wedding venue replete with church-scaled stained-glass windows, plus a large outdoor patio. The winery features a modern press, small stainless tanks, a few barrels, even a shaker table to sort the fruit. It is the vision of John Fournier, a Perth-area native who imagined he was retiring after a successful construction career. Inspired by Scheuermann Vineyard and Winery in nearby Westport and assisted by Niagara/Brock University wine consultant Steven Trussler, he has bravely planted pinot noir, chardonnay, riesling and gewurztraminer. The vines are protected in winter by textile blankets, and a wind machine guards the hill season long. I tasted the wines in July at WineAlign then visited in August. His 2021 Chardonnay proved the most interesting with Chablis-like green apple, fennel and leesy notes. There is work to be done, but what he has carved out of the Canadian shield is quite remarkable.

Website: riverhousewine.com

Solvero, Summerland Valleys, B.C.
This small winery in the narrow, bucolic Garnett Valley — hidden away from Highway 97 traffic through Summerland — shows incredible promise, especially under the guidance of CEO Matt Sartor and Winemaker/GM Alison Moyes. The 12 acres were purchased in 2014 and organically planted on a steep southwest facing slope. The first barely commercial vintage was 2018. The site is very cool climate — so pinot gris, chardonnay, pinot gris, gamay and rosé form the portfolio, with sparkling wine in the offering. As with so many new, smart Canadian wineries there is all kinds of attention being paid to viticultural and clones. I first perked up when the National Wine Awards of Canada judges were invited to a Summerland tasting in June. I returned in September to spend some quality time at Solvero and appreciate the tight linearity and purity of the wines. I really admire the pinot gris and pinot noir.

Website: solverowines.ca

And that’s a wrap. I hope you are inspired to keep trying new Canadian wines. Not just because they are Canadian, but because they can be excellent and elevating, with quality and knowledge on a real upward curve.